Our client had mental health issues. He posted a request online, asking for someone to use supernatural powers to cause harm to two individuals. The police conducted an undercover operation and our client ultimately asked an undercover officer to cause actual physical harm to the two individuals. Our client was charged with two counts of counselling to unlawfully cause bodily harm, two counts of counselling to commit aggravated assault, and two counts of threatening to cause bodily harm.
Out client pleaded guilty to three of these offences. The case proceeded to a two-day contested sentencing hearing, which included testimony from a forensic psychologist. The prosecutor asked the judge to sentence our client to three years in the penitentiary. Defence counsel asked the judge to impose a "conditional sentence," meaning that he would not be sentenced to actual jail but simply serve house arrest with conditions.
RESULT: Our client was sentenced to a conditional sentence with twelve months of house arrest and three years' probation.